Irish History- The Irish Civil War- Why did the Regulars win the Irish Civil
War? Essay Plan
● Irregular (anti-Treaty IRA) weaknesses
○ Poor military strategy
○ Divisions within the Irregulars
○ Lack of support
● Regular (pro-Treaty IRA) strengths
○ Superior military strategy
○ Unity amongst the Regulars
○ Widespread support
Irregular Weaknesses
Poor Military Strategy
● The Irregulars had an inferior military strategy. For example, they failed
to take initiative in the conflict. Five months lapsed between the Dail
accepting the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty (7th January 1922) and the
beginning of the civil war (28th June 1922). This allowed the Free State
Army (Regulars) to become stronger and prepare for conflict.
● When O’Connor attacked the Four Courts in Dublin on 14th April 1922,
it was 200 Irregular troops placed against the might of the Free State
Army. When the war began in earnest in June 1922, the Irregulars
occupied other vital buildings in Dublin in an attempt to echo the 1916
Easter Rising. However, in doing so, the Irregulars became sitting
ducks. It was difficult to defend their gains from a fixed position, and the
Irregulars were successfully forced from Dublin by July 1922, leaving
behind £4 million worth of damage.
● The Irregulars were forced into the South-West, where there were
anti-Treaty strongholds (like Cork). However, the public soon turned
against them due to the economic damage of the war.
, ● The Irregulars were inexperienced soldiers whose only experience was
the Anglo-Irish War (1919-1921).
○ However, the guerilla tactics of this war did not prepare them for
the traditional, wide-scale tactics used by the Free State Army.
○ Barry, one of the Irregulars, described Irregular leadership as “a
joke” (Barry).
● The Irregulars suffered from extremely poor leadership and
coordination. Without centralised leadership, the Irregulars lacked
organisation.
○ Local Irregular units had misunderstood the instructions from
Volunteer General Headquarters (GHQ). GHQ had ordered
Irregulars to only operate within their local areas. However, these
local units misinterpreted this to mean that they shouldn’t
coordinate with one another at all.
● When the Irregulars finally returned to guerilla tactics (such as attacking
post offices and local roads) they only succeeded in further alienating
the public.
Divisions Within the Irregulars
● The Irregulars were deeply divided. For example, although Lynch was
elected Chief of Staff, he was constantly facing challenges from the
more radical O’Connor.
○ O’Connor resented Lynch’s moderacy, whilst Lynch feared
O’Connor’s extremism.
○ This resulted in an intense “disharmony” (Hopkinson) which
weakened the group.
○ On 26th March 1922, 22 Irregulars met to discuss the possibility
of defecting from the Dail’s authority.
○ O’Connor established a 16-man military executive, threatening
both Lynch’s authority and the authority of the Dail.
War? Essay Plan
● Irregular (anti-Treaty IRA) weaknesses
○ Poor military strategy
○ Divisions within the Irregulars
○ Lack of support
● Regular (pro-Treaty IRA) strengths
○ Superior military strategy
○ Unity amongst the Regulars
○ Widespread support
Irregular Weaknesses
Poor Military Strategy
● The Irregulars had an inferior military strategy. For example, they failed
to take initiative in the conflict. Five months lapsed between the Dail
accepting the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty (7th January 1922) and the
beginning of the civil war (28th June 1922). This allowed the Free State
Army (Regulars) to become stronger and prepare for conflict.
● When O’Connor attacked the Four Courts in Dublin on 14th April 1922,
it was 200 Irregular troops placed against the might of the Free State
Army. When the war began in earnest in June 1922, the Irregulars
occupied other vital buildings in Dublin in an attempt to echo the 1916
Easter Rising. However, in doing so, the Irregulars became sitting
ducks. It was difficult to defend their gains from a fixed position, and the
Irregulars were successfully forced from Dublin by July 1922, leaving
behind £4 million worth of damage.
● The Irregulars were forced into the South-West, where there were
anti-Treaty strongholds (like Cork). However, the public soon turned
against them due to the economic damage of the war.
, ● The Irregulars were inexperienced soldiers whose only experience was
the Anglo-Irish War (1919-1921).
○ However, the guerilla tactics of this war did not prepare them for
the traditional, wide-scale tactics used by the Free State Army.
○ Barry, one of the Irregulars, described Irregular leadership as “a
joke” (Barry).
● The Irregulars suffered from extremely poor leadership and
coordination. Without centralised leadership, the Irregulars lacked
organisation.
○ Local Irregular units had misunderstood the instructions from
Volunteer General Headquarters (GHQ). GHQ had ordered
Irregulars to only operate within their local areas. However, these
local units misinterpreted this to mean that they shouldn’t
coordinate with one another at all.
● When the Irregulars finally returned to guerilla tactics (such as attacking
post offices and local roads) they only succeeded in further alienating
the public.
Divisions Within the Irregulars
● The Irregulars were deeply divided. For example, although Lynch was
elected Chief of Staff, he was constantly facing challenges from the
more radical O’Connor.
○ O’Connor resented Lynch’s moderacy, whilst Lynch feared
O’Connor’s extremism.
○ This resulted in an intense “disharmony” (Hopkinson) which
weakened the group.
○ On 26th March 1922, 22 Irregulars met to discuss the possibility
of defecting from the Dail’s authority.
○ O’Connor established a 16-man military executive, threatening
both Lynch’s authority and the authority of the Dail.
